Spain Travel Journal: 105 Pages of Text and Hand-drawn Illustrations (Barcelona - Granada - Madrid)

February 14, Departure

I arranged to travel with a couple who are friends of mine. The four of us took a Ukraine International Airlines flight from Kyiv Airport with a transfer to Barcelona. Unfortunately, the Ukraine International Airlines route from Beijing to Kyiv has been suspended for now; otherwise, it was quite affordable to get to Europe via them.

Transportation information from Barcelona Airport to the city center:

Catalonia and Spain:

Encants Flea Market:

February 15, Gaudí and Casa Milà

Barcelona's Eixample district and Gaudí's life:

Casa Milà floor plans, sections, and elevations:

Casa Milà details:

Casa Calvet floor plans, sections, and elevations:

Passeig de Gràcia:

What is Spanish ham:

February 16, Park Güell and Hospital de Sant Pau

Park Güell details:

Casa Vicens floor plan and section:

Hospital de Sant Pau:

February 17, Cathedral of Saint Eulalia, Maritime Museum, and La Boqueria Seafood Market

Cathedral of Saint Eulalia:

Barcelona Maritime Museum:

Battle of Lepanto situation map:

Santa Eulalia sailing ship:

HBO's Game of Thrones prop exhibition:

La Boqueria Seafood Market:

February 18, Half-day visit to Hospital de Sant Pau

History of Hospital de Sant Pau:

Functions of the hospital buildings:

Columbus Monument:

February 19, Arrival in Granada

Spanish high-speed rail, an excellent experience:

Watching traditional Flamenco dance:

February 20, Full-day tour of the Alhambra

Chronology of major events at the Alhambra:

Abbasid and Umayyad dynasties:

Ferdinand and Isabella:

Alhambra floor plan:

Names of attractions in the Alhambra:

Brief history of Granada:

San Francisco Hotel and Palace of Charles V:

Hall of Ambassadors and Court of the Myrtles:

Lindaraja and Court of the Lions:

Ladies' Tower, Captive Tower, Princesses' Tower:

Gardening and the tragic fate of the Alhambra's rulers:

Nasrid dynasty sultan family tree:

Brief chronology of Spanish history:

The Alhambra as seen by artists:

February 21, Madrid Naval Museum

Madrid public transport card and metro map (the date on the map is a typo; it should be February 21):

Madrid Naval Museum floor plan:

The museum's star exhibit:

February 22, Madrid Air Museum

Air Museum floor plan:

Introduction to Air Museum exhibits:

February 23, Shopping and the Prado Museum

Prado Museum ground floor plan:

Prado Museum basement, first, and second floor plans:

Special exhibitions at the Prado Museum:

February 24, Reina Sofía Museum

Introduction to the Reina Sofía Museum:

Section view and floor plans for levels 0, 1, and 2:

Floor plans for levels 3 and 4 and the museum's masterpieces:

Madrid Airport and Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport:

February 25, Transfer in Moscow via Aeroflot back to China

Aeroflot A330-300:

The End - Thank you for watching!